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travel

I’ve spent hours looking over listings, comparing prices, neighborhoods and reviews, yet I still can’t imagine living in one of the many apartments I have on my list. It’s strange, for months I have known this time would come, but actually sitting here knowing one of these spaces will soon be called “home” is so strange.

I guess my apprehension is doubled by the fact that I’m in Los Angeles, a place I spent my whole life saying I would never live. It’s almost polar opposite of the other school I could have accepted.

There are things that make me excited to be moving here. I’ll have a plethora of Farmer’s markets to choose from. My intake of fine arts will be limitless. I’ll be closer to my dad. I’ll be back in Southern California. I could go to the beach every damn day if I want to. I will have access to multiple libraries. I could run in to various smokin’ hot celebrities on a daily basis.

Those are great things, but what about those sleepless nights when I feel so small, wide-eyed and waiting for the sirens to stop?

I read somewhere that Merlin was said to be born in Wales. After staying here a week I imagine he must have. In my imagination he was still in his youth when he cast a spell, so powerful and wicked, that it is still working its magic today. In my mind he was trying for a simple rain spell, but instead got downpour after downpour for centuries of Welsh residents.

While here I had to visit some pretty amazing places both real (the castle) and fictional (Torchwood). I think that’s one of the best parts of travel, when myth and reality meet, stirring up all kinds of whimsy. Cardiff is a place where fantastical shows took place feet away from very real Roman walls.

When in doubt, read. That has worked well for me so far, so with a European excursion days away I’ve been doing a whole lot of reading, searching and watching.

I owned a bunch of travel guides and checked out a few more that were more recent than some that I owned. A steno pad I’m taking with me is tabbed and filled with notes according to country and city. I reread my entire collection of Afar magazines (fantastic travel magazine btw). Travel Channel is the only thing I watch (besides select NBC programming).

Am I ready? I hope so. Like Hermione I have been relentless with preparation, but like Hermione I will be reading up until I get there. Once my feet hit the ground I’ll be too distracted by bliss to remember the extensive lists and maps I have created.